Page 2 of Entangled with the Enforcer

"This isn't about fairness, Miss Wallace.Thisis business."

"There must be room for compassion and common decency."

"That's for you. I'm all about the paper.Il soldi." I rub my thumb over the tips of my fingers.

“Even for the man you once called a friend?”

I shrug and purse my lips. Aurora's eyes flash, and her nose flares. I have no idea what she's trying to do. What matters is that I walk away from here with the documents assigning me complete ownership of St. Regis Place.

"You're really going to take the last thing your friend owns?"

Aurora stares at me as if looking for a heart, but I lost that a long time ago.

"Whether he has one or ten means nothing to me,tesoro. If you owe me, you must pay. That's how business works. Now, hand over the documents?”

The endearment slips as if I’ve called her my sweetheart a million times. It’s obvious I need to get away from Jeff’s daughter. I’d take no joy out of fucking Aurora to get back at a man who’s lost touch with reality. And despite the optics, this gestureisan extension of friendship that Jeff never afforded me. He took money without the intention of returning it, and it seems I’m not the exception but the rule. Because there was no way he could pay close to a million dollars, he owed Nicoli Rossi. The way I see it, I saved Jeff’s ass.

Aurora's hands tremble as she gives me the documents. I run my eyes over them: a notarized deed, a signed change of ownership form, and an agreement allowing Jeff and Aurora Wallace to regain control of the hotel if he repays the eight hundred grand, he owes me plus interest within three months.

“Perfect,” I mutter, whipping out my Montblanc pen to sign below their names.

Aurora’s cheeks redden, and the bitterness in her blue eyes goes up a notch.

"You look hotter now that you're angry. Are you single,tesoro?" I wink at her.

"Fuck you!" She growls. “And stop calling metesoro!”

I stand taller, staring down into eyes that remind me of the clearest blue sky. "That's hardly the way to address the man who holds the livelihood of your father in his hands.”

I expect her to shrink back like everyone else, but she stands taller.

Aurora has more balls than her father.

“Now that you’re out of a job, do you plan to stick around? I could use a personal assistant. It’s been a while since I had a curvy distraction like you in the office."

Aurora curses under her breath. My eyes trail to her breasts, full and inviting. She has grown from the shy girl who followed her father everywhere to this stunning, fiery beauty.

"You're mocking me," she says coldly.

"Not at all."

I swear steam rises from her ears, and ice shoots from her cold stare. But the more I ruffle her feathers, the more I wonder if she brings this much passion to the bed.

Aurora points her index finger in my face. "You’re a fuckingvulture. Don’t get comfortable. I’ll be back.”

"Don’t kid yourself. We know your father isn't raising that money any time soon."

I gently swipe her finger away and take a step closer. Up close, she smells of amber and vanilla. She is beautiful in a way that could get a man like me in trouble. The sort of complications I can’t afford in my life.

Aurora and I glare at each other with our faces a few inches away.

She sighs, her warm breath hitting me in the face. My eyes linger on her pink, heart-shaped lips. They look soft and inviting. A mixture of excitement and worry hit me.

This is Jeff’s daughter, and she’s off-limits.

I don’t respect his business dealings, and even his personal dealings are sketchy. But I still consider him a friend.

All facts I need to remind my dick.

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